


Accidental Outburst

by IwaKitsune



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: Gen, I prefer platonic oop, This wasn't supposed to be shippy but it can be a bit if you squint and tilt your head I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 14:54:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5670010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IwaKitsune/pseuds/IwaKitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Accidents happen, there is simply no way to avoid them sometimes. But when the chosen hero can't keep in his frustration caused by that erratic day he does something he immediately regrets against his advisor. </p>
<p>Jan. 8th 2016: Story revised and all chapters fixed. Crossposting from FF.net. Originally written in 2012 (that's quite a while ago)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wishes Gone Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> WELL this story is old but one I hold rather close so I revised it. Not much is changed but I feel it flows a little better (I'd be impressed if anyone remembered how it was hahaha). It's a bit slow paced and lacks action, set in the middle of the game, directly after Zelda and Impa disappear in the Time Gate in Lanayru.
> 
> I love Fi and I'm so sorry I did this wow- either way, I hope you guys enjoy this!

His steps echoed in the sudden silence of the area, soon overpowered by the soft whistle of wind blowing the desert's sand. Electric blue eyes, usually so full of determination, power, that special shine, were dull with deep pain and disappointment.

He remembered her words-' _no, you're right on time_ '-but he couldn't help but feel it wasn't true. He was too late to go to Zelda, to slow to finally reunite with her. If only he'd been faster! One minute, one second too late to reach them before that damned demon lord irrupted into the ruins. He had been able to drive him away just long enough for his best friend and her guardian to escape, earning what he knew were real threats from the demon before he vanished. And yet, the second Fi told him he wouldn't be able to dowse for Zelda, his spirit faltered- his best friend wasn't there anymore? What happened to her? Why?

...why.

The blond hero managed to give his Goron friend a slight smile and an understanding, apologetic nod and a wave before scurrying away toward the Bird Statue. No, he didn't need to hear what Gorko saw, he had seen it himself and he didn't feel like explaining anything. Not now. Too soon.

He pulled out the sailcloth and brushed his fingers against the soft material, his mind summoning the image of Zelda's smile as she handed it to him before he shook his head with a small noise- a whine, a groan? Silently, he reached to touch the stone bird, cool to his hand even under the desert's sun; Link looked at it as the decorative yellow and purple marks glowed for a second, along with an orange flick in its eyes as signal. He readied the cloth to catch the magical, warm air that launched him toward the clouds.

The second he was above the cloud barrier, he let go of one of the edges of the cloth in order to call for his Loftwing whom responded with a loud screech behind him, sweeping under him in time for the Skyloftian to grab the rein before flapping its wings and switching course toward the Sealed Temple. Link stayed silent as his bird flew, his pondering soon interrupted by another caw.

Surprised, he patted his Loftwing's neck, "Everything alright, buddy?"

The bird replied with another caw and stretched its neck just enough to look at him with those large, yellow eyes. Link understood the behavior immediately and offered a shaky smile, patting the red feathered neck again. "Don't worry about me, everything will be alright..."

The Loftwing gained altitude with another loud squawk. Link sighed, knowing the guardian bird didn't believe him, but in the middle of flight there wasn't much it could do but take its rider where he needed to go. He motioned the crimson bird to speed up a bit, wanting to reach the old woman in the temple for advice before it grew too late to fly. Then again, he thought as he calculated the time, it seems to be early. The green pillar drew near and he jumped off, hearing a soft tinkle near his ear.

" _Master, try to calculate the area you wish to descend to._ " He nodded in response, already used to that piece of advice-however he gave a start as the bell-like sound chimed again. " _Master, there seems to be something approaching at a high speed._ "

Before he was able to ask for more information, a strange noise reached his ears, growing louder by the second. Where was it coming fro- ...above? Link looked over his shoulder and recognized the source of the sound.

Groose's terrified yelp was soon echoed by Link's own, losing control of the dive as the redhead clung to his middle. Barely managing to hear Groose's voice over the roar of air, he took out the sailcloth, slowing down their fall but not nearly enough for a nice landing.

' _This's gonna hurt..._ ', was his last thought as he closed his eyes tightly.

* * *

It took him a while, but the blond was stubborn and had a natural talent with instruments, soon enough he was able to play the harp in the rhythm the old lady had tried to teach him. Slowly but surely, he strummed the harp and allowed the notes dance and bounce inside the temple. He felt a small quake as a large, dark-colored column dotted with strange symbols rose behind him.

Link was about to ask her what exactly that was when another quake interrupted him, longer and stronger and a bad omen.

He rushed out the temple with the old woman close behind, catching sight of a panicked Groose near the entrance before another shake almost made him lose his footing-he heard the old woman say something about the seal and he sprinted for the strange stone spike in the middle of the pit.

And just before he was able to reach it, a powerful roar pierced the air and the creature of his nightmares came out the large, shadow-like portal. And he froze for a second in disbelieve.

* * *

He was still shaking with adrenaline when he performed the needed motions for the new seal, panting heavily and hardly hearing the woman's voice over the deafening rush of blood in his ears.

The Imprisoned, that's what she called that monstrous, scaled beast. The creature of his nightmares had a name, was real... and had the possibility of breaking free again, and soon. He paled as she continued talking, but understood what needed to be done, why it needed to be done, and how to do it. But he still had that annoying little question inside...

Why.

He turned to look at the red-head, his bully back in Skyloft, and switched his gaze back and forth between him and the old woman as he practically had a melt down and belittled his own worth, and she tried to soothe him and make him stop dwelling in self deprecation.

' _Everything happens for a reason, you are here because you have a mission. You aren't useless; you are ignorant of what your reason for being where you are is. There is potential, you just need to dig deeper in order to reach it. You must not give up before starting._ '

Link wasn't sure if she was talking to him or to Groose anymore. Soon enough, the red-head walked out the temple with his chin high and Link looked back at the old woman, catching her faint nod and smile. He knew his new mission, and he knew it wasn't going to be easy.

No one said it was going to be easy.

With a quick farewell, the blond walked out the temple to see the sky painted with warm colors and his rival muttering-angrily, gloomily...-before rushing away; risking a peek, Link saw him slamming his fist against the wall in anguish. He wasn't sure how to react to that, but decided against trying to talk with him. Groose needed time to think and he-as the soft chiming from his sword followed by Fi's voice reminded him-needed to get back to Skyloft to look for someone that may know the lyrics, something he couldn't do if night fell.

He hurried toward the Bird Statue and summoned the magic, allowing himself be dragged to the clouds and as soon as he could, he called for his Loftwing.

* * *

It wasn't long before twilight colored the sky and the red bird landed on the plaza after denying every one of Link's attempt to dive on his own. The blond jumped off and patted its beak in gratitude before receiving a light push; he rubbed the long neck as the beak snuggled his cheek in what he deemed as comfort. "Really, I'll be alright just... shaky and stressed at the moment. Thanks though, I'll call you when I need you again, alright?" The crimson Loftwing cawed again, nudging him again before returning to the air, disappearing behind the light tower.

The blond took a deep breath before starting his way toward the Academy, pondering how he was going to get those lyrics and what his new goal was going to be, imagining things he knew were crazy but... letting his imagination wild on that was better than allowing his thoughts wander to Zelda or The Imprisoned.

The plaza was almost empty and he had to quicken his pace just to out-run the fast approaching night. He managed to squeeze through the front door a second before Horwell closed it, ready to lock it for the night; Link greeted him and paused, hopeful.

"Uh... Professor, do you by chance know the lyrics of the Song of the Goddess?"

Horwell quirked a brow in interest before shaking his head slowly. "I'm afraid I don't. Why would you need them?"

"It's... confidential." Link mumbled quietly, shuffling his feet restlessly before sighing. "Do you have any idea of who may know them?"

Horwell gave him an understanding smile, crossing his arms behind his back, "I'll guess and say it's something to do with Zelda, I won't question you any further then. About who might know them, perhaps the Headmaster could enlighten you."

"Thank you, Professor!" Link cried over his shoulder as he bolted for the stairs, heading straight for Gaepora's quarters, knocking on the large wooden doors as soon as he stood before them. "Headmaster, it's Link! Do you have a moment?"

"Ah, Link! Come in, come in." Came the deep, warm tone from behind the doors and the blond pushed them open, greeting the tall man who walked over to him and rested a firm hand on his shoulder. "For you to come here there must be news of Zelda, what happened?"

Link lowered his head grimly, feeling questioning eyes on him. "I... I don't know if I should..." He was interrupted by the other's voice.

"Don't push yourself, Link. Something must have happened to her if you can't tell me... but that isn't the reason for your arrival here. Is there any way I can assist you?" The blond felt even worse after the words, was he really going to keep the truth from his best friend's father?

Link curled his fists, digging his nails into his glove-covered palms. "I'm sor-"

"Don't be, if you can't tell me then it must be something hard to swallow for you... I know whatever you're planning to do is for my daughter's wellbeing. Please tell me what do you need?"

Sighing lightly, blue eyes raised to meet understanding dark brown before he spoke again. "I need to know the lyrics of the Song of the Goddess."

* * *

As much as he wanted to hurry, he found himself unable to do anything at the time. He knew the lyrics now-had them written down even-but it was night already. It was too difficult to see distant and small things, and the danger of being attacked by enraged animals and monsters while searching was too high. He had had one too many fights that day and fatigue was starting to take over his body.

Yet he found himself sitting on the steps that lead to the Goddess' statue, the place where he and Zelda had last been together. He held his head on his hands and rested his elbows on his knees, an air of defeat around him. The cool breeze tossed his already messy locks around, for once free of the hat restraining them.

A soft chime reached his ears and he spared a tired glance at the sword resting against the steps; slowly, he reached for it and dropped it on his lap, seeing the Spirit materialize in front of him. "Master Link, my projections indicate you have an extremely high level of stress and fatigue. Both these combined have a 90% chance of affect your performance considerably. I suggest you return to your room and rest in order to lower both factors."

"I can't sleep Fi, I'm tired but I can't sleep..." Link mused with a faraway, troubled look before he stood and walked toward the room inside the statue, his grip slacking slightly on the sword's hilt. He heard a soft sound behind him, one he recognized as the Spirit following him.

"Your level of fatigue should allow you gain rest quite easily." Her robotic, monotonous voice drifted through the air as he stopped inside the circular room next to one of the pillar closer to the entrance.

He sighed through clenched teeth, tightening his grip. "I know that, Fi. But I can't..."

"But Mast-" She was interrupted by a frustrated growl.

"You don't understand! There's too much going on and I just-" Link huffed harshly, suppressing a second growl as he swung the sword toward one of the pillars, gritting his teeth. The loud clang brought forth from the motion echoed around them, leaving them in tense silence before the Spirit's voice replaced it.

"No, Master, I do not understand. Perhaps if you explain the situation it could be easier to analyze." He could've almost sworn there was a small hint of worry, hesitation in the tone but he was too frustrated to really care.

"What can I explain, Fi? My best friend is in another era, a creeper of a demon is waiting for the right moment to behead me, the creature of my nightmares is _real_ , the fate of everything lays on my shoulders, I can't tell anyone about most specific parts of this without sounding like I've lost my mind, and all of those things happened in _one day_!" He shouted, lashing at the sturdy pillar blindly with the sword, ears deaf to the loud clangs brought by his action. A few seconds of that and he stopped, right hand shaking with the faint vibrations caused by the blade hitting the stone before subsiding. However, his anger didn't wane in the slightest as he realized that yes-

All he had said was true. And all happened even thought he didn't wish for it. He didn't wish for any of this.

"Your frustration level is reaching a dangerous peak, Master Link..." He heard her say as calm as ever, seemly unaffected by the outburst, both physical and verbal. Her voice, one Link found soothing most of the time, suddenly felt so much more like a little, uncaring buzzing to him right that moment. "I sug-"

"I don't care, Fi!" He twirled to glare at the petite blue sprite, not registering the start and abrupt pause as he shouted. "You don't get what I'm trying to say, you can't and neither can anyone else, and all those useless calculations you're spouting are driving me crazy!" He threw his sword-wielding arm at his side, creating a deep dent in the stone pillar, eyes narrowed. "Shut up, will you?"

The surprised look on her face was quick to vanish into the almost emotionless mask, a small crease of her eyebrows being the only tattling sign, one that only someone that paid close attention and knew what they were looking for could detect. "Mast-"

Link roared, throwing the blade with all his strength against the wall as if it was a boomerang. " _Silence!_ "

...Why...

_Crack!_ His furrowed brows shoot up, angry glare turning into an alarmed stare. Snapping his neck as quick as he could, he saw the sprite-his partner, his advisor-doubled in pain for a split second before vanishing from sight.

Her gasp of pain lasted longer.

Why.

His eyes widened as he stared at the area she had been at a blink ago, before rushing toward the weapon on the floor, dropping to his knees in near panic. He touched the blade with a shaky hand, mouth dry and voice quaking. "F-fi...?"

A flick of blue light from the hilt and a murmur from nowhere were the Spirit's reply.

Why.

"F-fi, are you okay?" He whispered back, slowly studying the sword. The blade itself didn't seem affected at all, sharp and shining with the light from the torches, whatever little scratches were marring the surface could be fixed with a good polish; the teal hilt looked just as fine.

And then he saw the diamond.

" _...N-no, Master. This m-may be a gr-grave problem..._ " The Skyloftian's eyes would have widened more if it was possible as he listened to her voice, broken and pausing like a scratched record in what he could have swore was affliction. The crack in the jewel taunted him, mocked him, as he brushed his fingers against it.

Why did this have to happen...

Because he never meant for any of this to occur, never to fail to protect and be there for Zelda, never to create more worries for everyone, never to keep secrets and bottle them up. Never to lose his composure this way-because no matter how much he had wanted to see Fi show emotions or reacting, he never intended to harm her.


	2. Quiet Murmurs

All the fatigue he had felt a moment ago was replaced by panic-fueled adrenaline as he gingerly picked the blade up, hands shaking.

"Fi, talk to me." Link muttered quietly, eyes focused on the hilt, waiting for it to flash. "Please Fi, say something..."

He let out a heavy sigh of relief when the sword glowed a faint blue color. " _I ap-pologize, Master..._ " Link's relief faded, expression turned into a frown at the words and the stutter, the Sword Spirit's tone much fainter and strained than usual. " _I do-oubt I'll be of much a-assis-stance at the p-present time..._ "

The blond bite his tongue, running a hand through his hair nervously, worry gnawing at his gut with alarming speed. "I'm so sorry, Fi... I-! I didn't mean to do that-I just-" His rambling halted, cut more by the faint flicker of the glow than the other's voice.

" _M-master Link, d-do not concern yo-ourself with my s-state. Y-your level of stress is dan-ngerously high as i-is._ "

Her words did nothing to soothe him as he breathed shakily, rubbing his face with one hand before pulling at his messy hair. Was she really keeping track of his health and trying to provide solutions for his problems when he was the cause of her current state...? Focus, focus. "W-what happened, Fi?"

The sprite took a few moments before replying. " _The crystal is a po-ower source... wh-hen damaged it cause great d-difficulty to control or ch-channel the en-nergy. It acts similar t-to inter-rference and a leak a-at the same time..._ "

Link hesitated for a moment. "That's not all, is it?" He knew he was right when he didn't receive an answer. "Fi-"

" _The power is co-onnected with my own energy; I am u-unable to control it fully if d-damaged..._ "

Connected... Link straightened his posture as the realization dawned on him, wide eyes staring intently at the hilt. He choked on his spit, speaking with a frantic tone. "Is there anything I can do?"

He struggled to hear her reply and his heart leaped to his throat when he deciphered the hushed whisper. " _...I don't know, Master Link..._ "

* * *

Gondo yawned loudly, popping his back and stretching his arms above his head. He turned, staring down at the small, broken machine sitting on the desk in front of him. ' _No luck yet..._ ' He huffed quietly with a grimace, rubbing his neck, getting ready to turn off the small lamp next to him and catch a few hours of sleep before having to open the Scrap Shop.

As soon as he stood, however, a quick knock caught his attention and he rushed for the door, opening it a crack to peek at the one outside, humming in surprise when he saw Link panting heavily as if he had run a marathon, his hat clumsily clinging to his head and him cradling what looked like his sword against his chest.

"Link?" The taller male asked lowly to make sure it wasn't his eyes playing tricks on him. "What're you doing here? It's not even dawn!"

Blue eyes peered at him through a curtain of blond locks with an urgent look, taking a few seconds to recover. "I'm sorry for coming here so late, Gondo. But..." He trailed off, looking at the blade in his arms before continuing. "I need help with my sword, and you're the only one I believe can help."

The masked man hummed again uneasily, studying the other's expression. "I guess this can't wait if you've ran all the way here at this hour..." Quickly, the door opened and Link entered the dim-lighted house, hearing the door click closed behind him. "What got you so worked up?"

Link raised the blade for Gondo to examine, his voice quiet to not disturb the other person in the house aside from them. "I... damaged the diamond..." He struggled to say those words, eyes tormented as the shop owner stared at him questioningly; the shorter male released a shaky sigh. "This sword is very... different from others... and the diamond isn't a simple decoration..."

Gondo rubbed his chin thoughtfully, understanding from Link's actions that it had great significance for him but still not quite understanding why it was so urgent. "How come this sword is different? It looks special yeah but there must be a reason for you to be so..." Unable to find the right word he simply gestured to Link's stance.

Link looked down at the sword and muttered something in a low voice, too quiet for Gondo to catch it; about to ask him to repeat, he stopped as a faint glow appeared around the hilt and stepped back when a short flash lightened the room accompanied by a soft chime. He gapped at the Sword Spirit's sudden appearance, studying the petite figure that held one of the clothe-like arms in front of her chest, the serene expression lightly troubled.

"Gondo, this is Fi. She's a spirit that resides in the sword..." The blond informed him quietly, looking between the two of them with unease before focusing on the blue sprite, an apologetic smile on his lips before falling. "Sorry for having to ask you to come out... if you want to return to the sword, you're free to do so."

Fi shook her head slowly, lowering to the floor until her feet were barely a few inches above it. "No, Master Link, this is so-omething that must be do-one..." Gondo guessed the slightly high-pitched tone wasn't normal when Link bite his lip, however his attention was soon focused on the ethereal being, glowing with a faint blue light, making the surrounding area glow a similar color as well. She had turned to stare at him with those blank, crystal blue eyes, studying him the same way he had before bowing her head respectfully. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"When you said it was special I wasn't expecting something like this..." Gondo blinked in surprise, rubbing his neck. "Err, the pleasure is mine. So... you said something about the diamond being important?"

The blond covered his eyes with one hand, mumbling under his breath. "I was an idiot, a careless idiot that over-reacted..."

The Spirit decided to take over the conversation as the younger male chastised himself. "The crystal is of vi-ital importance f-for the blade's purpose..." She paused for a second, deep in thought. "This blade is blessed w-with holy power. This power needs to be concentrated in o-one place for it to be both easily accessible as well as s-strengthen-ning it..."

Gondo nodded, crossing his arms. "So if damaged it can't contain it, I see..." He reached to take the blade from Link's grip, aware of the strange humming coming from it as he examined the hilt closely. Callous fingers ran over the crack carefully. "This is a pretty heavy hit here, too."

"Can you fix it?" He turned away from the sword to meet Link's pleading, hopeful eyes as he spoke with a hurried, hushed voice. "Please tell me you can fix it!"

"I bet I can do something." He grinned, trying to ease him into a calmer state. He could surely fix the damage but there was a small detail... "Holy power, though? I don't know what exactly could be used to patch th-"

"Forgive my interruption, however it's worth noting t-the Goddess Plume in Master Link's po-ossession has an 85% chance of be-eing useful in that specific subject." They both turned to look at Fi as she continued talking, struggling against a waver in her tone. "It should st-till hold enough of the Goddess' energy f-for..." She trailed off, tilting in place before Link jumped forward to catch her, a pained expression taking over the emotionless mask for a split second.

"I'd ask where you got that but that's for later." The tall shop owner looked at the duo, disturbed by the nearly panicked expression Link was sporting, before noticing the crystal resting on the Spirit's chest, a crack much too similar to the one in the hilt visible. Gondo frowned, analyzing the situation. "Listen Link, I know you want to make this better as soon as possible, and I do want to help you, but I need to look at it closely to know what I'll need to fix this and I don't have the needed gear here." He felt like the biggest jerk in the world when Link looked at him with those desperate eyes.

He was preparing to apologize when the sprite spoke. "Master... Rushing headfirst into things isn't the w-wisest choice... y-you must not try to speed up thing t-that need time... the Spirit Maiden and her Guardian are safe a-and the seal should hold for some time..."

Link's grip on her shoulders tightened as he shook his head in disbelieve. "How can you say that, Fi? You are in danger and the only thing you worry about is the mission!" He hissed back, ignoring Gondo and the fact he shouldn't know about what had happened.

He was silenced with the next words. "It's my sole purpose, Master. I'm meant to advice you, not add to y-your worries."

Understandably, Gondo's discomfort only grew as a tense silence fell around them. He couldn't think of anything to say that would make the situation better... but he found himself a savior in the form of Fi.

"At what hour would it be acceptable to re-equest your assistance?"

"Uh... I guess in the early morning. I wish I could help you now but the Bazaar won't be opened until the sun is out, it's too dangerous to go now and risk allowing monsters in."

"Alright then, first hour of the morning." Link suddenly cut in the conversation, sighing quietly as Fi nodded and vanished with another flash into the hilt. He took the sword from Gondo's hold carefully, looking at him with an embarrassed half-smile. "I'm sorry for being so... pushy, Gondo."

Gondo patted his shoulder roughly, sending a grin and a thumbs up. "Hey, no problem. It's obvious you're worried." He quirked a brow as the blond walked toward the door, opening it slowly. "Woah, are you going out? You could stay here 'til morning, you know?"

Shaking his head, Link looked over his shoulder. "I've bothered you enough. Besides, I believe I can get back to the Academy without problems if I managed to avoid running into anything on my way here. My main worry is the Remlits, really." He opened the door just enough to slip through before waving back. "I guess I'll see you later, sorry again..." _Click_.

* * *

Tiptoeing slowly, Link made his way through the deserted halls of the Knight's Academy, ignoring the sting of a scratch left on his arm by an unexpected Remlit's assault. As quietly as possible, he went downstairs and opened his door with a soft creak, closing it behind him and leaning heavily against the frame.

A soft chime reached his ears and he jumped, peering over his shoulder to the sheath on his back, looking at the sword carefully. A blue flash and the Spirit materialized before him, still covering the damaged crystal with an arm. "Master?"

He almost flinched; he couldn't understand why she was still so respectful when... "Yes, Fi?"

She paused, seemly hesitating for a moment and considering her words. "My analysis indicates your le-evel of fatigue, as well as st-tress, still in an unusually high ra-ange. However your a-agitation seemed to have affected these in the s-same way adrenaline would."

Link wanted to groan, both at the truth of her words and the fact she was still more worried about him than the situation should call for. "Please, Fi, I beg you. Stop worrying about me when you're the one in trouble..."

"But Master, my pu-urpose is to aid you."

" _Please, Fi_." Link pleaded, looking at her with a weary smile. "You can help me by not worrying about me for now. Alright?" Fi seemed to vacillate over the request before nodding. "Thank you..." Link sighed, mild relief evident in expression. He straightened and blinked, confused. "Shouldn't you stay inside the hilt? I mean, I don't mind if you're out of it but isn't it more err... tiring?"

"As a matter of fact, I have come to the r-realization that it's easier to control the leak from the outside r-rather than the inside, Master." She replied. "Contrary to f-first impressions, w-which forced me to re-eturn to the blade, maintaining this f-form helps keep the energy in a c-controllable level..." Unexpectedly, Fi wavered in the air and Link leaped forward with a startled gasp, catching her before she fell. Before the blond could speak, she gave a small hum, the slightest crease to her brow. "T-though, apparently, staying afloat s-spends more energy t-than it s-should be spent..."

Biting his lip, Link scanned his room, ignoring Fi's chime of question as he hastily lifted her bridal style. "You need to rest." He muttered, making his way to the bed.

"But-"

"You need to rest." He repeated with finality to his voice as he carefully lowered Fi to sit at the edge of the bed. He could feel her eyes on him as he detached the shield from his back, placing it on the floor to rest against the desk as he sat on the wooden chair, keeping the sheath strapped onto his back. He returned the look for a few minutes, silently trying to read the Spirit's thoughts. "Maybe sleeping could help." He peeped, tilting his head with a hopeful shine to his eyes. "Sleep helps recover energy after all, you could try that."

She looked taken aback by the suggestion. "That works for living cr-reatures at least a 90% of the time. However, I'm a Sword Spirit, the probability of that serving the same purpose with the same efficiency isn't very high."

"No percentage?" The moment those words escaped his smile, he felt ready to bash his head against the wall. _Why was he teasing he-_

"I'd prefer not to over-think that at the moment, Master Link." She replied without missing a beat and Link could have sworn she was rolling her eyes. "Or else I would, as you say, jinx it."

The blond grinned easily, taking off his hat and placing it on the desk. "Seems fair enough. So... why don't you try it?" He noticed her hesitation before he stood. "Maybe it would come easier without me watching like a creep." He chuckled, rubbing his neck. "How far can you be of the sword in that state?"

"The range is actually quite wide, if you recall the first time we encountered face-to-face."

"Alright! I'll go outside for a while, I need fresh air anyway." He turned toward the door, once again looking over his shoulder at the sprite. "You stay here. Don't worry about me, okay? I won't go too far." And without giving her time to protest, he crossed the doorway.

* * *

With a loud sigh, the blond stretched his arms above his head, walking through the dark halls toward his room after a time unwinding and spent counting stars, sitting on the railing just outside the Academy's second floor's entrance. He made a quick detour to Fledge's room when he heard the other struggle and after a short conversation, handed him one of the Stamina Potions he had in his pouch, simply happy to help someone after all the disasters of the past day.

Entering his room, the first thing he noticed was the fact his cap had been folded neatly and was currently resting on his forever-open journal. The second thing was that everything seemed to glow as they reflected a faint blue light. And finally he focused on the source of the light.

Fi had apparently found a comfortable position to sleep in, curled on her side and holding onto the pillow, almost backed against the wall. Link smiled, stepping slowly toward the bed, flinching as a board creaked under his boot and holding his breath as he saw the Spirit stir lightly, sighing behind his hand when she only retreated her hold on the soft material slightly.

Even more careful than before, he walked towards the chair and took off his boots to avoid any more close-calls. From his seat, he studied the sprite's serene expression before something caught his interest. Slowly, he moved from the chair to the floor, kneeling to examine her closer with a child-like curiosity.

Her expression looked smooth, smoother than when she was awake, free of that calculative seriousness that dominated her overall attitude. However there still was that calmness that somehow managed to soothe him when things looked bad, grounding him when he needed it most. After a moment of hesitation, he brushed one of her bangs, finding it hard and cold to the touch. Almost like metal... unsurprising, now that he thought about it-she _was_ the sword itself.

His eyes lingered on the diamond on her forehead for a few seconds before he looked at the one on her chest, partially hidden by the pillow, but with a clearly visible white line that shouldn't have been in it, making him grimace. There was suddenly something cold brushing against his hand that almost made him jumped out of his skin. Startled, he didn't dare move as his eyes darted to find out what was touching him and he swallowed a sigh when he noticed it was Fi's arm as she changed position.

"Everything will be alright soon..." He muttered quietly, moving away to sit on the chair and lean on the desk, arms crossed over his open journal and head resting on them.


	3. Jabs

Thin beams of sunlight pierced their way through the open window, falling onto the sleeping blond's face as he snored quietly, having succumbed to exhaustion. It took him a few minutes of direct light to the eyelids before he regained consciousness with a light groan, opening one eye to glare at nothing in particular.

He sat up straight, stretching and rubbing his eyes to further awaken himself. He stopped with a confused frown, noticing the blanket pooling behind him on the chair and the pillow resting on the table. Sluggishly, he turned to face the bed and jumped to his feet when he found it empty.

"Fi?"

A chime behind him immediately calmed him down. " _You called, Master?_ "

"I thought..." Scratching his head, he peered at the glowing weapon strapped to his back. "I thought you were going to stay out since it was easier to control the energy or something?"

A soft hum came from the sword before a reply met his ears. " _I concluded it would be less of a risk if I stayed inside the blade during the day, Master Link. I must remind you as well: the owner of the Scrap Shop agreed to meet with you early today, I left the window open to quicken your awakening._ "

Link was already bursting through the doorway, earning a weird look from Professor Owlan as he almost crashed against the wall, struggling to strap on the shield. "What time is it, Fi?"

" _It is 6:04, Master. However, if my calculations are correct, the Bazaar won't open for another 26 minutes._ "

The blond stumbled before the small stair leading to the entrance, creasing his brows in a mixture of confusion and irritation. "Why... did you wake me up so early then...?" He looked out the window for emphasis; tired eyes glaring mildly at the sky painted a light blue and white color.

" _I assumed you would appreciate a few minutes to refresh yourself, Master Link._ " Link could swear that last chime was hiding amusement. With a somewhat annoyed groan, he took a turn and entered the small cafeteria, smiling and waving at the old lady preparing the food. It had been a long time since he last ate actual breakfast, something fast wouldn't hurt.

* * *

With a towel draped around his shoulders, Link sighed contently as he exited the bathroom fully dressed in a clean uniform. Grunting lightly, he popped his back, slumping soon after with another sigh. He didn't run into anyone on his way back to his room-how many times had he gone up or down that staircase in the past two days anyway?

As he wondered this, he pried the door open and entered his room to find the sword lying against his pillow along with the shield and the adventure pouch, waiting for him where he left them. He strapped the sword on first, hearing a tinkle as Fi appeared before him, sitting (rather, floating almost imperceptibly) at the bed's edge, staring at him as he finished preparing himself.

"Master Link." Raising his head, he gave a light grunt as indication he was listening before he went back to adjusting his boots. "I detect a non-threaded injury in your arm. I suggest bandaging it to nullify the possibility of infection."

"It's just a scratch, Fi." Contrary to his words, he reached into the closet for the first-aid kit he kept there, pulling out some bandage and a small bottle of alcohol, treating the small cut carefully. "I just noticed something..." He mused after the bandage was securely tied to his forearm. "You haven't stuttered at all."

"I don't see what is so important about that, Master."

"I mean..." Clicking his tongue, he searched for the right words. "If you aren't stuttering then you aren't struggling or... in pain, right?" He seemed to grow quiet as the sentence escaped his lips, looking at the sprite with curious worry.

Fi shook her head negatively. "I'm in a much leveled condition, Master. Apparently, resting did help with the energy control in an unexpectedly positive way."

"So, you're feeling well enough?" He asked with a hopeful expression, eyes alight with relief at her reply, catching the subtle, light-hearted note in her voice.

"Affirmative. I suppose I can say I'm feeling better."

* * *

Skyloft was a very tranquil place, especially so in the early hours when everyone just started the day. Not that he saw it like that very often, with his great ability to sleep in. The kids were still asleep and, in the back of his mind, Link couldn't help but feel envious. The woes of being both a young adult and a hero, he supposed. Walking with a steady pace, he went to the Bazaar, hoping to find it open.

The large wooden entrance greeted him as he ascended the stone stairs, along with a gentle breeze ruffling his clothes. He walked in, the light murmurs of the shop owners setting up or talking with early costumers reached his ears.

He waved at Bertie and Luv as he hurried past the Potion Shop, making a mental note to buy some of it when he had time, after all an empty bottle is a wasted bottle. Quickening his pace, he jumped up the small step before Gondo's shop, spotting him in the back tinkering with something he couldn't identify.

"Morning, Gondo."

The masked man looked up and grinned before standing to approach the front desk. "Morning, Link! To be honest, I thought you'd be here a bit later." He chuckled light-heartedly, leaning on the table. "Alright, let me see what I can do."

Nodding, Link unsheathed the sword, glancing at it as a soft blue glow flickered on the hilt. Gondo saw the blond nod again and he guessed the Sword Spirit had told him something; he gestured Link to place it in the table as he retreated to retrieve a small machine that he hooked to the side of his mask. He examined the diamond carefully after activating the machine that placed some sort of magnificent glass in front of his right eye.

Link tapped his fingers against his pouch anxiously, trying hard not to run his fingers through his hair or bite his lip, both pretty common nervous gestures. He stared at the pile of scraps atop the desk on the back-what was that? It looked... fairly familiar? He didn't have much time to ponder, perking up when the other started talking.

"Yeah, it's a heavy hit but nothing I cannot repair!" He nodded, looking up at the blond from his seat with a grin. It faltered and became a small frown as he rubbed his chin. "But it won't be easy... some of the items I need are quite rare."

"I've got a bit of everything." The blond replied confidently. "What's it you need to repair the crystal?"

"Let's hope you have everything then! I'll need the Goddess Plume she talked about yesterday, hopefully that'll be the magic touch, but other than that I need a Golden Skull, three pieces of Eldin Ore..." As the shop owner recited the needed items, Link searched through his pouch and placed them on the table. How glad he was about spending a few minutes getting used to the Digging Mittens... "And six Jelly Blobs."

The blond stopped counting his current stock of gooey blobs, arching a brow. "Why Jelly Blobs?"

Gondo grinned, crossing his arms. "That's for me to know and for you to never find out, don't question my methods!"

Knowing arguing with the taller man wasn't going to result in anything useful; the blond dropped the semi-transparent gunk over the table, stopping short and rummaging through his pouch before groaning to himself, rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Of course, I lack the needed quantity for the easiest item; I should have seen this coming..." He snapped his fingers and took a few steps towards the entrance of the Bazaar-his escape halted as Gondo grabbed the tip of his hat, pulling it off his head and effectively making him turn back to face him before taking the green cloth from his hands.

"Woah, where do you think you're going?" The shop owner asked quite loudly, curiosity evident in his voice.

Link sighed, putting the hat back on. "I'm going to get some Jelly Blobs, shouldn't take long. I'll be back in a half hour tops, take care of Fi while I'm away!" And with that he sprinted off, catching an affirmative response from Gondo and a high-pitched tinkle he knew was the Spirit trying to tell him something.

Most likely ready to convince him to take the Goddess Sword with him.

He would be damned before he followed that piece of advice.

* * *

Getting one of the practice swords from Eagus was easy. Trying to cut those strange, bluish, almost transparent creatures wasn't very challenging. Doing that while battling off demonic bats in a dark cave was a bit harder. Having a sword that wasn't nearly as sharp or long as the one he had grown accustomed to was plain obnoxious.

With a cry, he swung his sword sharply, trying to hit one of the Keese that had wandered close enough to him. He missed the target as the flying creature backed away from the attack's range, squeaking.

"Would you mind staying still?!" The blond shouted in his irritation, hearing his voice bounce against the cave's walls before an unexpected squeal came from somewhere behind him and one of the Keeses slammed against the back of his head, scratching with the small, sharp claw in its wing. Aggravated, Link swiftly turned and slashed, hearing the creature squeak sharply and smack against a rock; he couldn't help a grunt of satisfaction though somewhere in the back of his head he flinched.

He couldn't dwell for long in the alien feeling of mixed pleasure and guilt since a group of Chuchus decided to crawl over his boots, restraining his movement and giving the flock of Keeses an opening to swoop down on the blond.

Swinging his sword around like a mad fool hasn't sounded as that good of a strategy for a long time.

* * *

"This is useless..." The tall shop owner lamented loudly, tapping the screwdriver against the table where his project and the Goddess Sword laid. He poked at the gears of the small machine directly in front of him, frown deepening as he applied more force than necessary just to make the gears move an inch. "It's almost stuck; no way can this thing move effortlessly like Grandpa said..." He noticed a faint glow appearing around the blade's hilt and he rubbed his neck before touching the metal, hearing a whisper from nowhere.

" _I shouldn't use this method of communication with anyone but Master Link._ " That was the first thing he heard, having the impression it wasn't directed to him exactly since the murmur turned a bit louder after that. " _My calculations indicate this machine-95% chance it belongs to the LD-301S series-could start functioning again with the application of a specific lubricant to the gears. However, the oil required is not accessible in Skyloft or surrounding islands._ "

"Humm... two things: why are you telling me this, and can you tell me where I can find this lubricant?" Gondo was glad he had his back to the front of the shop; looking as if he was talking to himself wasn't going to push away the funny looks some people already gave him due to his firm belief on his grandfather's stories.

" _My data indicates I should repay you to show my gratitude, either with service, goods, or information._ " Even with that monotone she always seemed to speak with, he couldn't help but to feel she was being sincere. " _The lubricant you require can be found in the stem of Ancient Flowers, commonly found in various areas of the surface in ancient times._ " Before he could continue asking her for details a voice called him, a few meters away from the shop's front desk; the last thing he heard was a light murmur, barely audible. " _Master Link may be able to provide you with one._ "

"I've got the Jelly Blobs I needed." Link announced triumphantly, grinning widely and ignoring his ruffled clothes and hair. Taking out and giving the items to Gondo, he asked resolved to ask, slightly breathless. "Anything else? How many rupees?"

Gondo was tempted to lie and either ask for a free Ancient Flower or make Link get one, if Fi's words were to be believed-and he didn't doubt them. Returning the smile, he took the blobs and placed them with the other items, looking at the sword briefly. "Yeah... it'll be 30 rupees."

Link gapped. "Only thirty? You usually ask for 50 when I upgrade things. I don't doubt your abilities but... are you sure?"

The other waved a gloved hand in the air, dismissive. "I'm sure of what I'm doing." Link gave him a weird look before extracting a red and two blue rupees from a small bag hanging from his belt. "Alright! This'll take a while so why don't you go get stuff done meanwhile?" He didn't really wait from a reply, simply standing and walking back to the work table, covering whatever he was doing from view thank to his large frame.

* * *

Link sighed as he trotted around the Plaza, trying to kill time. He couldn't go back to the surface without Fi and didn't dare go for a flight because he may lose too much time... he stopped in the middle of the large, gray-stone circle, looking at the clouds; how he longed for a relaxing flight though. He let his eyes wander before they focused on something.

The light tower.

He gasped, remembering the lyrics of the song. Without further delay, he dashed for the windmill located close to the stairs that lead to the Knight's Academy. He examined the large stone structure and saw a small propeller on the side; it didn't take long for him to turn the windmill to face the tower with some well aimed wind from the Gust Bellows. A thin, almost unnoticeable beam of light shot from it to the top of the light tower.

A wide grin broke through his expression, excitement born from this small piece of progress. One down, one to go. He rushed to the other side of the Sky City, knowing where to find the other windmill.

Just as he approached it Jakamar stopped him, asking him what his intentions were before talking about how shameful it was that the windmill hadn't worked for a long time after the propeller fell somewhere below the clouds. Judging by the size of the other windmill's propeller, even though it was fairly small, there was no way he'd be able to carry it in the adventure pouch...

But the older man did mention something about a robot the Scrap Shop's current owner's grandfather used to have that had helped retrieve things that had fallen through the cloud barrier.

What a small world this was.

* * *

A few careful swipes. A vigorous polish. Another examination and he wiped the sweat off his temple, smiling contently at his work. And just in time.

"Hey, Link! You've got good timing!" He greeted loudly as the blond neared his shop, smiling back at him. Without hiding his grin, Gondo handed back the blade to the hopeful blond whose eyes seemed to light up at the sight of the fixed crystal and shining metal. "Here you go; I took the liberty to give it a quick polish!"

"Gondo, you don't know how grateful I am." Link breathed through sighs of relief as he returned the sword to the sheath. "Hey, Fi?" He called, hoping the Spirit was alright.

A quick flash and the blue sprite materialized, partially hidden behind a wall to the right of the front desk where the entrance to the shop itself was, in order to go unnoticed to other costumers and shop owners of the Bazaar. "Greeting, Master Link." Her voice sounded strange, a slight hint of something under the monotone.

"Feeling better?" He didn't care if Gondo gave him funny looks for the concern evident in his tone; his worries were driven to the ground as he heard a chime that sounded just as strange as the voice. A moment later he recognized it: Contented.

"I'm in optimal condition, Master. I apologize for having left your side during this dire time." She did sound a bit quieter with her last sentence and the blond suppressed the urge to hit his own forehead.

"Fi, please. I was the one that started this, don't continue..." He smiled, excited. "But I did get some of the mission done in the mean time! Though the propeller I need is in the surface... Err, Gondo, Jakamar told me your grandfather had a robot that could get things that had fallen through the clouds, true?"

The shop owner grimaced at that, crossing his arms. "Yeah, my Grandpa did, but you probably think those are simple made up tales."

"I believe them."

Gondo stared at him. "You do?" The blond's nod was the only thing needed for his ear-to-ear grin to appear. "You believe them too! Finally someone else that believes my grandpa's stories!" He pointed at the small machine in the desk behind him. "That's the little guy, what was he called... ah right, Scrapper's his name. I've been trying to repair him for a very long time but no use. I need a special item to make him work again..."

"What item?"

"Well, I need an Ancient Flower. But I have no idea what it looks like or where to look for it." His grin couldn't have grown more as the blond reached into the pouch and pulled out an elegant flower with purple petals. Fi and Gondo exchanged a knowing glance before he returned to the work table, hovering over the small machine and applying the oil.

The Ancient Robot buzzed to life, opening his eye before he started to hover in midair with the propeller in his head. The joy in both his and Gondo's expressions was unmatchable.

"Alright, Scrapper, you should thank Link here, he was the one that helped repair you!"

The robot's buzzing seemed to die down a bit as he looked at the blond, expression turned unimpressed. "Are you sure it was this individual of small stature? ... Well then, I extend my reluctant thanks in an obligatory show of gratitude, vrrrrrrrt-CHONK."

"Hey, now! Watch it! That's no way to talk to someone who just saved your life! ... Anyway this kid wants you to haul stuff around and you're going to help him!" The small robot turned away stubbornly.

"Hmmm, this individual may have restored my operations but I'm not inclined to offer assistance, bzzzt." At that moment, Fi decided to bring attention to herself, informing Link she had been able to detect the aura of the propeller and the possibility of dowsing for the item. The blond's attention wasn't the only thing she attracted though, made obvious by the excited and loud buzzing of the robot. "Who are you?! ZRRRT-FOOOSH!"

Link flinched, hissing something along the lines of 'quiet down!', reluctant to attract too much unwanted attention from the other passersby. The sprite stared at him. "The name that was given to me is Fi."

"Your name is... Fi? Dzzzt! Should I call you Mistress Fi? Are you looking for something, Mistress Fi?" Scrapper whirred happily. "Mistress Fi, I am at your service! For you I will carry anything regardless of weight and destination... whizzzt!"

"..." Fi turned toward Link again, expression unreadable. "Master... we now have the means to bring the Windmill Propeller back to Skyloft. You may begin your search immediately." Without further due, she vanished back into the blade and Scrapper whirled to face him.

"Master Shortpants! I'm at your service! I can now detect Mistress Fi's thought waves, vrrrt!" The robot happily exclaimed, extracting a hearty laugh from his owner and a small pout of resignation from the chosen hero.


End file.
